Nolan Houdini
|kanji=ノーラン・フーヂニ |rōmaji= Nōran Hūdini |alias= "Nolan the Mediator" (口利きのノーラン, Kuchikiki no Nōran) "Man of the Demonic Fury" (魔狂の漢, Makyō no Otoko) "Savior of Our World" (我がの世の救世主, Waga Yo no Kyūseishu)(By Bosco) "Nono" (ノノ, Nono)(By Anila Baltimore) |race=Human |gender=Male |age=35 |height=175cm |weight=67kg |birthday=April 4, X749 |eyes=Grey |hair=Black |blood type=O+ |affiliation= Houdini Family Ten Wizard Saints Magic Council |previous affiliation= 's Slave Trade |mark location= |occupation=Member of the Ten Wizard Saints Member of the Magic Council |previous occupation=Independent S-Class Mage Apprentice to Harry Houdini Slave |team= Ten Wizard Saints |previous team= |partner=Harry Houdini(Occasionally) Marx Frost Anila Baltimore |previous partner= |base of operations=Wandering across |status=Active |relatives=Harry Houdini(Foster Father) Abraham Houdini(Foster Brother) Donna Houdini(Foster Niece) |counterpart= |magic=Moksha Pulse Magic Repel Requip Sword Magic Transformation Water Magic |weapons='Seven-Branched Sword' (七支刀, Shichishitō) |image gallery= yes }} Nolan Houdini (ノーラン・フーヂニ, Nōran Hūdini) is an who wanders across the entirety of on perilous . He is a mage who has been classified as a based on his completion of extremely difficult “SS-Class” and “10 Year” jobs across war-ridden countries such as and . Despite his fame as "Nolan the Mediator" (口利きのノーラン, Kuchikiki no Nōran), however, the powerful mage has a very humble background. Nolan had been placed into the slave trade very early in his life so that his parents could continue to pay off the enormous debt they had as a result of their alcohol and gambling addiction. Eventually, a young Harry Houdini would abolish the said slave trade while on a job as part of , leading him to notice Nolan, who was brimming with magical potential. Following the children being placed into an orphanage within , Harry had adopted Nolan against his family’s wishes, raising him as less of a son and more of a student within the arts of magic. Eventually, Nolan grew to become a powerful mage, independently gaining access to jobs that only the strongest of individuals could hope to adventure on. However, following Harry’s announcement to retire as a member of the , Nolan returned to Fiore in hopes of challenging him and taking the honorary position to continue the legend’s legacy. Eventually, his dream would be fulfilled as, through a conflict of great magnitude, Nolan managed to surpass Harry, even if by an inch, thus claiming his title within the Ten Wizard Saints while also maintaining political power as a member of the Magic Council. Appearance Nolan is a man distinguished by his extremely refined appearance despite some of his actions showing otherwise. His presence within any situation is one that immediately calls for attention despite his rather simplistic features. Ironically, despite originating from the lower-class, Nolan has had a surprisingly attractive physical appearance following his adoption into the Houdini Family, indicating that his parents were responsible for the plight that Nolan’s physical condition had been through when he was a younger man. Nolan is noted for his sharp facial features. He has a long, angular facial structure which is made apparent by his defined jawline and rather pointy chin. In addition to this, he is noted for his sharp nose, thin lips, piercing grey eyes and short eyebrows – a sign of nobility he placed upon himself. In addition, he has highly stylistic hair that appears to get messy easy, however, especially considering the amount of battle he goes through. It is neck-length, with a fringe parting on the left and a few locks separately coming down near his nose. While normally wavy, it can quickly become straight and dull depending on what it exposes, hence why he normally covers his head significantly while in places with extreme climates. It should also be noted that, despite what his attire might suggest, Nolan is a man of a considerably muscular build. While not overly done due to his preference for the magical arts, it is clearly reflective of the intensive training he has gone through in order to tame the magic he does possess. The most noticeable part about his physique, however, is his stature. Given his reputation, one would assume that he is far more intimidating. However, he is strangely at a very average height, giving him the appearance of common nobility, rather than a powerful mage. Nolan generally has two staple attires he wears for practical purposes. Given that he never has a single home to return to as a result of his continuous adventures, Nolan ensures the attire he wears is stylish, comfortable and practical for a wide variety of purposes. Nolan wears a somewhat simple black kimono, with notably large sleeves. It appears to be made out of a fabric that was harvested by the beast known as the Vulcan. In addition to this, Nolan wears a white sash around his waist to fasten the kimono, and wears simple straw sandals with white socks on his feet. Finally, the man wears a simple cloak over his attire in order to protect from extreme temperature changes. This is due to the unique properties of the cloak coming from an unnamed reptilian species, which allows it to, notably, resist extreme climate change by altering the magical properties of its skin. By harvesting its skin and using it for this purpose, Nolan enhances his ability to survive within the drastically changing climates of the areas with powerful monsters. On the other hand, when not adventuring, Nolan replaces this somewhat bizarre cloak with a much more simple white . It is noted for its modernization by way of a noticeably high collar and golden lining across the entirety of the haori in order to add a unique sense of style to the article of clothing. Personality Nolan is an individual characterized by his desire for independence. Due to his background within slavery, Nolan fully understands the necessity for individuals - lawful and villainous alike - to desire their freedom above all else. As a result, the mage has an air of power but humility surrounding him at all times. He is someone who can be approached with virtually any problem and, due to the man's eagerness to prove his own worth, he will take it with no questions asked. Or at least that was what Nolan once believed in. His extensive experiences with people have told him otherwise. Despite what these experiences would normally do to a person's idealism, it had the almost opposite effect to Nolan's own. While retaining a sense of maturity about his ideals, he still jumps in almost foolhardily to solve the problems of other people, risking his own life for the sole reason of "freeing the soul" (魂お放つ, Tamashī o Hanatsu), a philosophy he has lived by for the majority of his lifetime. A direct consequence of the nature of "freedom" that he pursues is that his mannerisms are considerably different to one who descends from nobility. Whilst many would attribute his rather direct mannerisms to his lower-class background, Harry and Donna both refute this claim. After all, they state that Nolan's frank, albeit polite nature, stems entirely from his desire to not be subject to authority without reason. In this case, the authority that he speaks of is the social norms that aristocracy tend to follow in order to appear as good role-models in the eyes of the public. Consequently, Nolan appears to talk with a polite tone to individuals who he has no reason to dislike. He is quite honest about his opinions and is fully willing to argue with others who believe that their opinions are concrete about a certain matter. In fact, he engages in healthy debates often, something which he often engages Harry's precious time in whenever Nolan comes to visit the old man. Although one might appear to believe that Nolan's emotional state cannot be penetrated as a consequence of his considerable experience and wisdom over the years, Nolan's behavior would say something else entirely. Nolan, while being a patient man, has his limits. However, his anger can be demonstrated in two specific ways: his comical anger at the smaller things that irritate him, or his silent anger. His silent anger, causing him to be labelled as "Man of the Demonic Fury" (魔狂の漢, Makyō no Otoko) later in his life, is one that is caused by his provocation to issues that are very sensitive to him. Among these are and , both of which he was exposed to as a young child. These traumatic experiences, combined with his innate morality, leaves him to be a terrifying individual to confront when he is in this state. A shining example of his persuasion was during a confrontation with the 's elite, where he single-handedly forced them to be compelled to send him on the mission to exterminate an entire alliance of that attempted to revive 's slave trade, a sheer indication of his powers of persuasion. 's battle.]] On the other end of this anger is a sense of compassion found in very few. Due to what the man has witnessed throughout his lifetime, he cannot tolerate when other people are victimized for almost any reason. Due to this, Nolan has developed a caring side for all those in need. He regularly visits and donates to orphanages in several countries and, if others are involved in a battle of any way, will always put their lives above his own, regardless of the injuries he might sustain as a consequence. This is directed even to his mage companions, of which he has aplenty. Despite their highly refined capabilities as S-Class Mages in their own rights, Nolan, as an elder individual and a compassionate man, has regularly intervened in the conflicts of other mages. Despite their ridiculous notions of honor and false pride, Nolan brings them down to the ground with both the notion that he is a "concerned old man," but also the fact that "one should not ever refuse help when it concerns your life," logic that his companions fail to argue against. The man's plethora of experiences, however, have also forced him to awaken a suppressed part of his personality that Nolan attempts to hide at all times. Nevertheless, it manages to shine clearly through life-threatening combat. Make no mistake, Nolan is an individual who enjoys a healthy spar or duel, engaging in them frequently to keep his skills sharp and his enjoyment for the activity on an all-time high. This is particularly true when it comes to his swordsmanship, an aspect of his combat that Nolan maintains his pride over. On the other end of the spectrum — something witnessed within his swordsmanship — however, is the grim nature of Nolan's tortuous experiences. Despite the man following the ideals of individuals being free to make their own choices and having the capacity to do what is ultimately correct for them and the world at large, he understands that there are some who refuse to abide by the concept of a moral horizon. To these people, Nolan unleashes the true brunt of his fury. Morality is a concept that is long lost to the man, as heads spiral across the ground should the man lose all restraint. In summation, Nolan is an individual with a kind heart and passion for freedom. However, it is the experiences he has faced over his life that have molded him into the man he is today; a man with an unbending will in front of all adversity. Despite having fallen into the recesses of immorality, Nolan's compassion will always override any acts of cruelty that the man may commit. An ambitious, kind-hearted and passionate man; he is an ideal that all mages in the world wish to follow. History A Mage's Life Awaits! Nolan was a child who was born during the most tumultuous times of , where the slave trade orchestrated by powerful ran rampant due to the government being overthrown by an act of revolution. Because of this, Nolan had been placed within the slave trade ever since he was a meager five years old. While the life was initially a great burden for him, he had known full well he wasn't strong enough to change anything. As such, he continued to labor his days away underneath unjust masters who, despite being citizens of the very country that wanted a positive change, had used their vast monetary affluence in order to not be brought down to the level of common civilians. Given this confinement by those higher in the social hierarchy than he was, Nolan, from a young age, came to despise those with money, believing all of them to be selfish and lacking any sense of morality. As time passed and passed, eventually the fateful year would arrive that would ultimately change Nolan's life for the better. Living in a Dark Guild, Nolan was forced to slave away to the demands of the abusive mages. However, suddenly, Nolan's savior had come from the light, eradicating those very mages with the flames of retribution. Indeed, the man regarded as Harry Houdini had placed himself in between the slaves and the Dark Mages, obliterating them on behalf of Bosco's community. However, the man had been severely injured as well; being outnumbered that significantly had its repercussions. Nolan's admiration for the man grew to the point where he hadn't slept for two days just to ensure the man had rested and healed up properly. On the third day, when the man woke from his unconscious state, Harry had noticed Nolan sleeping next to the bed that he rested at. Understanding that the young man had cured him, Harry had, once Nolan awoke, asked Nolan a rather simple question: "Hey kid. Wanna come with me? You look like you have the potential to do something big. I mean, you healed all my wounds while not sleeping yourself, right? How'd you have the stamina to do that? It's obvious to me; you have Magic! The magic brimming around you is helping you stay alive even in these rustic conditions! Do you want to be strong, just like me? Then come along! I can make you even stronger than this!" These words had inspired Nolan. After all, Nolan had nobody to live for but those scum who had enslaved him. His only friend, a fellow slave, was also raped and killed due to her status and his unnamed parents had likely left the country or been killed after selling Nolan to the slave traders. Given such circumstances, Nolan, with tears of happiness welling up in his eyes, smiled widely and responded with an affirmative nod. Happy by this response, Harry ruffled Nolan's hair and told him that they were leaving the next day. The day passed quickly and, with burning fervor, Nolan and Harry headed back to the country of . On their way to Harry's rather large residence — as commented by Harry himself — Nolan would witness Harry's elevation into one of the positions of the Ten Wizard Saints. This inspired Nolan, from a young age, to surpass Harry and one day continue his legacy within the Ten Wizard Saints, although the man would never know the fact. The First Test while training with Harry.]] Nolan, at the age of 10, was adopted into the Houdini Family and soon became one of Harry's foremost apprentices in the art of Magic and alongside Levi, an orphan of a family with close ties to the Houdini Family. Given the situation both Levi and Nolan were in, they swimmingly became good friends despite the difference of three years between them. During the initial phase of his training, which lasted for approximately seven years, Nolan had rapidly escalated on the ladder of Magic, to the point where, at the tender age of 21, Nolan had already been considered by the Magic Council to work as an employee. Harry, given his ties to the said organization, accepted the offer and allowed Nolan to go on his first solitary mission. Nolan was commanded by the Magic Council to go with a small task force to negotiate with the Ashen Pipe Guild within to cease their rebellion against the Magic Council's influence over the town. The task force that Nolan chose consisted of himself, Levi and Abramelin, the latter of whom he had acquainted with during a chance meeting while in the Magic Council's headquarters. showing herself.]] Nolan and his task force immediately took a train to Cedar, taking them approximately a week to reach the port town. Reaching late in the evening, they assumed the town would be quiet and, thus, they would remain inconspicuous. However, they were completely wrong. The instant that they had arrived within the town, the sights of Ashen Pipe had been upon them, albeit in secret. However, a specific person among the Guild had decided to give the trio a little bit of a scare in order for them to understand who they were dealing with. At that very moment, this person had, without any prior warning, erected a powerful illusion of an execution within the center of the city beginning to occur. In horror, Nolan trembled and, with a roar of fury, broke through the illusion as it was about to reach its climax. Honestly surprised, the woman who orchestrated the illusion had appeared, identifying herself as Anila Baltimore. Following her introduction Nolan had, in his fury, immediately drawn his blade and attempted to kill Anila. However, he failed in his attempt. With only a smoking pipe in her hand, she parried his initial strike calmly, before blowing a puff of smoke on his body that induced temporary paralysis on the man. As she was about to leave, Nolan struggled to get up, his anger spiking his magical power even further. In response to his attempts, Anila had smiled and told the man: "Should you manage to free yourself from those restraints within five minutes without killing yourself, I shall stand on your side in your fight against Ashen Pipe. My reasons? Well...you'll have to force them out of me, no?" Walking away following that statement, Levi felt powerless in front of the strength Anila had displayed, while Abramelin restrained him from acting, theorizing that the woman in fact had known of their arrival and existence even before understanding the Magic Council's intentions of subduing Ashen Pipe. The struggle was difficult for Nolan. He had not once in his life faced such bindings. He had attempted to physically escape from them, but it was impossible. The only method he knew was to spike his magical power to its limits, however, Harry warned him against doing so clumsily otherwise it could potentially disable his magic forever. Unaware of the truth of Anila's motives, Nolan had calmed himself as she walked away from him. In an almost meditative state, magical power began to collect around him as an aura, as calm and refined as a river. Steadily, he increased the level of power he could emit, until eventually, the bindings had automatically collapsed in when confronted with the power Nolan had emitted. Stunned and relieved, he saw the woman who trapped him on top of a roof giving a brief applause, before dashing across the buildings. Nolan knew that he had to follow this woman and sprinted across the ground with Abramelin and Levi close behind. They had soon reached the outskirts of the small port town, where a small house lay isolated from others. Noticing the woman, Nolan called out her name. Looking back to Nolan's location, she invited the trio inside to discuss exactly what Anila's intentions were with the trio, which Nolan followed along with ardently. Later, as they were sitting down and comfortable, Anila revealed her association with Harry Houdini as rivals. She was a spy who infiltrated Ashen Pipe in order to monitor its activities and, at some point, asked for assistance from the Council in eradicating them. Nolan and co., thankful that they would not have to fight Anila, accepted Anila's offer and resolved to completely vanquish the negative influence of Ashen Pipe from Cedar on the next morning. However, before doing so, Abramelin questioned as to why Anila was so indirect with the task force and the reason for binding Nolan in such a manner. Anila simply attributed it to a "favor" for Harry, who had personally stated Nolan needed a bit of life-threatening experience to unlock his next level of power. That morning, Nolan, Abramelin, Levi and Anila had immediately gone to the Ashen Pipe's base of operations; a large boat docked onto the port. Making a quiet entrance with Anila having "subdued" the three men in order to get onto the ship, their plan of attack had initiated. In only a moment, Anila had obscured everything in a deep layer of smoke, freeing the trio before they felled almost all of the pathetically weak individuals within the Guild, including the Master, with swift ease alongside Anila's help. Their operation, concluded, they were to report back to the Magic Council. However, Anila did not join them. Instead, she said it was her mission to rebuild Ashen Pipe as a proper Legal Guild and join the Knight forces that worked to defend the small port city. On that note, Nolan and his friends had bid adieu to Anila, with Nolan knowing full well they would meet once again. Independent Travels Nolan, following this mission, had broken away from his master's tutelage. Following his reflection on Anila's words, he realized that the only way he would truly become powerful is if he were to travel on his own two feet and experience the world with his own eyes. As such, at the age of 22, he set off on his own as an employee of the , wandering around all of and fulfilling requests of government-affiliated officials who had pressing issues related to magic to deal with. One particular mission, after a few years of completing assignments, involved the safeguarding of a close relative of the royal family from external sources as they had traveled to Bosco and returned. On this particular mission's completion, Nolan noted the situation in Bosco had not improved all that marginally and that were still rampant, albeit he suppressed his wrath, knowing full well his current level of power would be ineffective at causing a full change. However, he had once more encountered Abramelin, who had given the man a certain tome containing a rather powerful Lost Magic, believing that only Nolan could successfully handle such power. appearing before Nolan.]] Feeling both honored and peculiar, Nolan had consulted the woman who had helped him out earlier, Anila Baltimore. He consulted her for the particular reason that she excelled in Illusion Magic and, given the nature of this particular magic, would be able to assist him greatly in learning the fundamentals of the magic. Upon reaching Anila and explaining the situation, Anila noted that this sort of magic was extremely difficult to learn conventionally, the only way possible being to have a scapegoat to use the magic against. However, at that point, another one of Nolan's acquaintances, who he had not seen in quite some time, appeared before him. This man was Levi, now well-recognized as the "Sinner's Reflection" (罪人の反射, Tsumibito no Hansha) due to his particularly mastery over Reflector. He had been on a mission to scout for an artifact that the Magic Council wished to gain their hands on. To do so, he was passing through Cedar and on a particular visit to his former mentor, Anila, he had encountered Nolan as well. Believing that his mastery over Reflector would be capable of subduing Nolan's magical powers should they get out of control, Levi volunteered as a scapegoat for, as he put it, "old time's sake." Given the little difference between the two's age and overall magical ability, Nolan had used Arc of Reality's full power against Levi upon understanding the theory behind the magical principles of the craft. Despite being fully capable of reflecting the said illusions outward, Levi initially found difficulty in becoming accustomed to the said magic. After all, what changed was not just his perception of reality, but his reality itself. He had managed to morph not only Levi's perception but perspective of reality as a whole, causing it to be a lot more difficult to break out of the said illusion for the first time. Nevertheless, continual practice enabled Nolan to, after approximately a month, make the magic usable in combat despite its potential side-effects. Following this time of training, Levi and Nolan had parted ways once again, this time Nolan reporting to the Magic Council for the completion of yet another mission. :More Coming Soon... Savior of Our World Note: Given that the events of this particular aspect of his life will be detailed in a one-shot chapter, there will only be a shortened summary of these events in this particular section. Synopsis |-| Main Storyline = *'Savior of Our World': and , countries plagued with wars, slavery and chaos are ignored in the face of the grand magical feats conducted by and its people. But Nolan, an embodiment of justice and freedom, could not longer stand for this anarchy to run rampant. Persuading the Magic Council with his sheer force of will, Nolan heads off to battle, uncaring of the dire consequences that follow after... *'Ascending the Throne': |-| Roleplays = *'Locked Blades, Locked Resolve': Nolan is a man who has accomplished several things in life. His particular successes over and neighboring countries forced even the Queen to acknowledge and congratulate his success, which she did adequately with large festivities. However, interestingly enough, the Queen also proposed that her guardian, Sirius, be tested against Nolan's own legendary prowess. Not one to refuse a battle of any kind, Nolan takes up his sword to challenge this mighty foe...and perhaps even teach him a lesson or two on life itself? *'Climbing the Mountain': *'Recipe for Disaster': |-| Magic and Abilities Above all else, Nolan is noted to be a mage of exceptional power, his standing being among the likes of the due to the feats he has accomplished within his life. Having shown the capability to bear the burden of apprenticeship underneath Harry Houdini, subsequently take on some of the most perilous known to mages and destroy an uprising alliance of single-handedly being exceptional feats that he is known for. Given Nolan's plentiful number of experiences over his tenure being a mage, he is regarded as an enemy that most wouldn't be capable of fighting against, simply due to the amount of skills he has amassed over his years as a mage. He is regarded by those who know of his relationship to Harry Houdini as the superior of the two — although the claim is debatable — and has been noted to have fought several powerful opponents, including the most powerful Blood Dragon while still retaining his life, a feat only replicated by , who in himself is known to be a very powerful mage. Natural Abilities : Nolan is a master of the sword and, given his tutor's penchant for the weapon, this is not surprising in the slightest. However, Nolan's capabilities appear to be more aligned to his own mindset as a combatant rather than focusing on technical skill, which in itself does not pose any hindrance for the man. Furthermore, when one takes into consideration the Seven-Branched Sword's properties, Nolan can also be considered a highly adaptable swordsman, managing to execute rather difficult maneuvers with various sword types with ease and precision. In fact, his skill enabled him to fight on-par with — and momentarily overwhelm — a swordsman such as Sirius, ending their match in a draw despite the man almost solely specializing in swordsmanship.Locked Blades, Locked Resolve As a swordsman, however, Nolan's primary weapon is the Seven-Branched Sword's default state: the katana. However, due to Nolan's noticeable shift in paradigms when it comes to true combat against sparring matches, he boasts two different fighting styles for separate occasions. Against standard enemies who he doesn't consider a threat, or he isn't fighting for his life, Nolan will use what he calls the Sparring Sword (練習の剣, Renshū no Tsurugi). This state is one that subconsciously holds back Nolan's anger and temperament within his swordsmanship, thus causing his swordsmanship to be expressed primarily through a neutral stance that keeps Nolan's blade parallel to his waist, while his right foot remains slightly more forward than his left. Due to this, even if he were to switch the hand he uses, or the number of hands he uses, he is always able to react easily to an opponent's blade with his own. Nolan ensures this through subtly moving his wrists in order to shift the positioning of his sword to quickly make precise counterattacks that can seamlessly break through an opponent's offensive or defensive maneuvers without much struggle; these are primarily targeted to the opponent's limbs due to their importance in maintaining a solid stance. On the other end of the spectrum, when placed within a situation that demands Nolan's full attention, his form is labelled the Killing Sword (殺生の剣, Sesshō no Tsurugi). Given the man's temperament, the moment Nolan makes use of this state is one that causes almost all enemies to run away due to the level of fear they possess. Unlike his Sparring Sword, Nolan loses almost all sense of serenity when placed within a situation of this form. Underhanded tactics are a commonality, wide slashes are used to overwhelm an enemy's defenses and Nolan's own openings are used as bait to lure his enemies in, trapping them to deal fatal damage if one isn't careful. At this point in time, Nolan's skill is internalized; he has no need to consciously express certain parts of his skill such as his stance, as they are all dedicated towards the eradication of his enemy. His movements are little more than a blur, the sudden shifts between slashes, piercing strikes and even sweeping movements made through brute force causing all enemies to accept defeat the moment he enters combat. Furthermore, when considering that he doesn't restrain himself from employing magic while in this state, the possibility of Nolan's defeat is almost nil, something expressed quite clearly against 's Dark Guild alliance — albeit, he had assistance from his Second Origin's activation. *'Omniscient Doom' (全知命運, Zenchi Meiun): While not officially a technique, given the manner it is used, Nolan, nevertheless, classifies it as an advanced skill that should be given its own name. While the name tells of the potentially lethal nature of the technique, it is anything but. Omniscient Doom it utilized primarily as a form of intimidation against weapon wielders who are of marginally lower skill than himself. He makes use of his excellent wrist movements and keen perception in order to witness an enemy's position with their blade and accordingly shifts his sword to make any movement by them nullified. He does this specifically by targeting his sword point towards the wrist of the opponent, but without actually touching it. As a result, should the individual continue their assault, their ability to wield a sword will be all but lost in a single go. That being said, Nolan notes that this technique isn't effective on all individuals. Specifically, those with a level of ability that surpasses simple training. Individuals capable of instantly altering their stance or moving their swords fast enough to circumnavigate Nolan's own threats are those that require a greater level of effort to subdue, something which this technique simply does not provide. *'One Step, One Life' (一歩一命, Ippo, Ichimei): An extremely ruthless technique of Nolan's, one which he only uses during life and death matches. The technique's name was not made by Nolan, but rather, a spectator of the technique being used in action who commented that "with every step, Nolan takes a life," hence the name given to it. As some would know, Nolan's swordsmanship, when fully expressed, is one that disregards all sense of restraint in favor for pure offensive annihilation. One Step, One Life is the epitomy of this mindset. Nolan stands still, stanceless, looking at his opponent with eyes empty of emotion. The moment that his enemy breaks away from their own position, Nolan seizes their life instantaneously. With only a single step, Nolan raises his sword vertically, or horizontally, and bisects his enemy with tremendous strength as his opponents foolhardily charge towards him. While this technique is extremely fatal, it is, at the same time, one that can be negated by an opponent of similar skill level to Nolan. As such, Nolan most commonly makes use of the technique when surrounded by hordes of weaker enemies, leaving corpses in the wake of his sword. : Due to his specialization primarily lying within his swordsmanship and magical abilities, Nolan does not possess exceptional skill in his overall hand to hand prowess. However, he does demonstrate quite a capable theoretical understanding of various forms, enabling him to identify and potentially negate their advantages quite easily. When he is forced to engage in unarmed combat, he uses a style that generally involves fast-paced palm strikes and angular kicks in order to create distance between himself and his opponent, quickly reorienting himself to utilize a more comfortable fighting style such as swordsmanship or magic. Enhanced Strength: While most definitely not his greatest trait given his less-than-imposing build, Nolan possesses a notable level of physical strength. He manages to, quite easily, wield heavy swords with great speed and maneuverability, as well as use his strength to cut through most materials with strict ease. Likewise, he can parry against the likes of Sirius successfully, despite not being able to overpower him.Locked Blades, Locked Resolve Enhanced Agility and Reflexes: On the opposite end of the spectrum, Nolan is noted to be particularly agile within combat even without the use of his magical abilities. While not superhuman by any means, Nolan holds the ability to, seamlessly, fight against virtually any opponent in a physical contest through outpacing them while simultaneously overwhelming them with attacks from numerous directions. In fact, it is this very agility that enabled him to competently evade and fight on equal terms with the likes of Sirius, despite the man being accustomed to the form of fighting style Nolan employs.Locked Blades, Locked Resolve Enhanced Durability: Nolan is a man who is highly capable of resisting injury despite his almost meek frame. Fending off against bladed weapons with his bare hands is a feat that he can accomplish quite easily due to his training. Moreover, only the strongest of magical attacks can serve to truly debilitate him in any way, as seen through his long-lasting battle against Bosco's tyrants. Enhanced Endurance: In all likelihood, this is Nolan's single-most notable trait. Unlike most mages, due to his voluminous level of magical power in tandem with his physical training, Nolan can fight extremely long battles without feeling winded until the very end. He manages to maintain both his calm and his energy within intensive battles, making use of unique strategies and his powers at opportune moments without fail, even if the situation seems almost hopeless. In fact, it was this resourcefulness and long-lasting combat presence that enabled his victory against Bosco's tyrants for, by the end of the long battle, it had become a battle of little more than attrition. High Intellect: Nolan, given his overall experience and natural talent is often considered to be close to a genius by those who meet him. However, this is far from the truth. Nolan is simply a man who has accumulated enough experience over his lifetime to fool others into believing that his thoughts are beyond standard human comprehension. In saying this, Nolan's intelligence is quite noteworthy even without the status of "genius." He possesses a grand wealth of general knowledge and more specific knowledge on . In fact, his overall knowledge on Magic, its composition, uses, types and even forbidden spells rival that of experienced Esoterologists, all because of his vast experience. His capabilities enable him to tackle even supernatural opponents of a grand scale with his relatively basic skills and still come out on top. The fact that he managed to defeat both a dragon and an entire alliance on his lonesome at two different points in time despite his power still being on the scale of a "human". *'Masterful Strategist and Tactician': *'Highly Perceptive Combatant': Magical Abilities : Given his status as a and, more importantly, a member of the Ten Wizard Saints, Nolan possesses an extremely hefty quantity of magical power that can easily rival some of the strongest individuals in all of , if not . :More Coming Soon... being released.]] *'Monster-Class Aura' (未力の魔霊気, Miryoku no Mareiki; Literally meaning Magical Aura of Outstanding Power): *'Magic Signal' (魔法衛星放送 (マジックシグナル) Majikku Shigunaru Literally meaning Magic Satellite Broadcasting) Second Origin The Second Origin (二原, Nigen) is rumored to be by others to be a completely separate Magic Origin (魔原, Magen). However, it is noted that this rumor is incorrect. Following study by several Esoterologists, the Second Origin is, in fact, the epitomy of power any mage can possess. The Second Origin and its activation is simply unlocking the full extent of one's Magic Origin and power. There are a number of ways one can go about unlocking it: it can be a natural process that takes a considerable number of years, a sudden surge of willpower during a situation of crisis or accelerating the process through magic such as the . However, all of these cause the passive effects of unlocking one's Second Origin to be visible. In the case of , it appears to dramatically improve one's physical prowess, but also the intensity of their magical power. However, in the case of standard mages, it vastly increases the quantity of magic they may use in any given situation for a brief period of time, giving them access to magic and equipment that can potentially , though the claim itself is debatable. In order to unlock one's Second Origin without inducing its passive effects all the time, one must firstly impose a sealing condition onto the said portion of the Magic Origin. Due to magical energy being so closely aligned with one's willpower and conviction, this is done so through a rather unique method: the Pact (盟約, Meiyaku). The Pact, in this case, is one that the user makes upon reaching the full level of potential within one's Magic Origin, which in itself takes a considerable amount of time, or emotional upheaval, to achieve. When doing so, the Pact automatically causes this portion of one's magical power to be sealed in a series of magical seals that can only be unlocked with the fulfillment of the Pact; in the case of , it appeared to be when the life of herself and her friends were in mortal danger, which enabled her to wield the fabled . However, due to the strain of the sudden outpour of magical energy within the body, this state causes one to be heavily drained following its immediate use, despite causing a notable increase in the capacity of one's magical power. However, considering that the sudden outburst of magical power within one's body is caused due to the extreme sealing caused by the Pact, one is since unable to recreate the same seal due to the strictness of the requirements. As a result, the portion of magical power sealed is then assimilated to the natural reservoir of magical energy they can access within themselves. While this causes a considerable increase in their base capabilities, given that they can induce the passive effects of the Second Origin "state", they are since incapable of such a large outburst of magical energy through natural means. Nolan's particular use of the Second Origin Activation (二原解放, Nigen Kaihō) was within . Following the realization that, single-handedly, Nolan would be killed by the vast number of mages that were present, Nolan had reached into the depths of his soul. His Pact could only be fulfilled if he was risking his life for people he...More Coming Soon Magic Moksha (解脱開眼 (モクシャ) Mokusha; Sanskrit for "Freedom", Japanese for "Liberation and Enlightenment"): A Lost Magic and Nolan's signature , despite him rarely employing it in common conflicts. Nolan acquired Moksha through his encounters with Abramelin, who believed that Nolan was the only person who could successfully use this without succumbing to its perilous side-effects: specifically those beyond the physical. However, Moksha was by-no-means a simple Magic to learn. Even with every ritualistic step set out for him, Moksha was a Magic that required great risk in order to properly master. Therefore, it took years for him to cement the principles of the Magic and thus enable him to use it in action. In fact, it was commented by Vishvalita Sharaksa — a fellow member of the Ten Wizard Saints — that there were several moments when Nolan had virtually given up his soul to the world if it weren't for her interference. With all of these mistakes made in his past, however, Nolan eventually gained an incredible mastery over this form of Magic. According to Abramelin, Nolan's usage surpasses even the original user of the Magic, who existed in the same era as magical prodigies such as . Moksha is a theoretically and practically demanding Magic that requires one to have extensive knowledge over Esoterology before it can be used practically. According to Nolan's simplified description, Moksha enables one to have complete control over the "states of freedom" (自由の状, jiyū no jō) of either himself or other individuals. The states of freedom are delegated in terms of the freedom of the "soul" (魂, tamashī). Through altering the connection strength of the soul to the body and the environment, the user of this magic can, at a fundamental level, manipulate one's own soul and the souls of others to perform a narrow, but dangerous set of feats. There are two extremities to this magic that need to be pointed out, however: complete freedom and complete restriction. Complete freedom enables the soul to freely interact with the environment, forgoing physical attachments. On the opposite end of the spectrum... :More Coming Soon... .]] Pulse Magic (脈魔法, Myaku Mahō): One of Nolan's signature magical abilities. This magic provides the caster with the ability to, as its name suggests, induce and enhance pulses within a given area through magic. Pulses, in a general sense, are defined as a single vibration of a wave. Due to this, they are in virtually every motion that we take. Using magical particles that surround a certain area of the body that initiates the said vibration(s), the user of the magic can proceed to exponentially enhance its magnitude. Depending on the amount of, and direction of the magic, an individual may cause a simple flick of a finger to have a significantly higher impact than what it is to be expected. Nevertheless, there are limitations to this form of magic. If one doesn't enhance the correct pulse or places too much magical power into it, the force can recoil and damage the user significantly. Furthermore, one can only enhance pulses that come directly from the body, rather than external forces such as the swing of a blade. Notably, the pulses also travel quite effectively under a variety of terrains, allowing a masterful user to have numerous options when faced with distress. Nolan's use of the magic is unorthodox. Due to Nolan's necessity for high-speed combat as a result of the wide variety of magic he employs at varying distances, he focused the use of Pulse Magic primarily at his lower body. By using magical power to enhance the force behind each "tap" of his foot, he manages to increase his speed to a significant level momentarily before the step ends. Due to the nature of Pulse Magic being used in this manner, the sound that it creates is akin to the sound one makes when one knocks on a person's door. Furthermore, his regular use of the magic in this method causes it to be mistaken for other forms of speed-enhancement such as , or even , allowing for a unique deception by Nolan in combat. .]] Repel (撃退, Gekitai): Repel is a unique magic, the primary nature of which is almost instinctual when mastered to the point that Nolan has. The magic itself focuses around the nature of forces, in particular, forces of any kind that are directed towards Nolan himself. Due to Nolan's natural control over his own magical energy, this magic is perfect for making full use of this control. By actively keeping an aura of magical energy around him as he does for another magic of his, Repel consciously detects any force that goes within the proximity of this field. Given that Nolan makes the field five meters wide, it allows the magic plenty of opportunity to block any outside forces like its nature entails. The mechanisms of the magic is simple: through utilizing magical energy as a medium, Repel subsequently produces a counter-force to anything that has the intention of actively harming him within the said radius. These counter-forces may be in the shape of standard magical shields, or more complex forces such as intense heat to counter ice-based abilities or even rather powerful forces such as increasing the local gravitational pull. However, such an advantageous magic has a plethora of weaknesses: the cost of magical energy to sustain the magic is based both on the counter-force it produces as well as maintaining the field of magical energy, making it highly draining on reserves. Additionally, Repel may only block one force at any given time, unless it is split into multiple sections such as a single spell procuring multiple fireballs. Regardless of the restrictions placed on the magic, it is still a very potent magic and one that Nolan prides himself in mastering. Sword Magic (剣の魔法, Ken no Mahō): Nolan makes use of the prominent Sword Magic discipline through his signature magical sword, the Seven-Branched Sword. Sword Magic is a magic that invokes the power within a specific magical blade that the wielder possesses. In the case of Nolan, by channeling magic within the blade, he can proceed to morph its physical shape into six alternate forms besides its default form. Due to this, it possesses considerable versatility and enables Nolan to fight on level-playing fields with a wide variety of physical combatants. *'Heaven's Sword' (天剣, Tenken): The embodiment of the concept of in bladed form. Upon drawing this aspect of the blade, the Seven-Branched Sword becomes a completely straight-line with a simple white hilt, crossguard and blade. The blade, however, is extraordinarily light, but it can be used for extremely fast strikes, overwhelming his enemy by disorienting them with several afterimages influenced by interacting with the light in the atmosphere directly. However, given that it is so light, it is also very fragile. Upon breaking, the sword reverts to its standard state. *'Human's Sword' (仁剣, Jinken): The embodiment of the concept of in bladed form. Upon drawing this aspect of the blade, the Seven-Branched Sword becomes a rather large with a mellow brown color. Given the blade's large size, Nolan utilizes it primarily for defensive purposes. The large width of the blade manages to fend off against attacks from smaller blades and its durability is very high. However, the blade also has several cracks within its frame. When exploited, however, they do not simply shatter the blade, they become separate blades themselves when Nolan wishes to place his opponent in a pinlock, something this particular blade does very effectively. *'Asura's Sword' (修羅剣, Shuraken): The embodiment of the concept of in bladed form. Fire is an element that possesses three different states, paralleling the Asura and its three heads: dormancy, warmth and burning. Taking this into account, Nolan, when activating this spell, immediately places his blade in dormancy. It takes the appearance of the standard blade, albeit covered with an intense pink aura of magical power. When accessing its powers of warmth, Asura's Sword is able to cauterize wounds effortlessly without causing any known damage to the victim of the said cauterization. When Nolan accesses its burning state, however, the true power of the sword. By pouring magical power into it, several pink, flickering flames, come out of the katana and proceed to create imitations of the blade that, while being weak, are able to act as potent distractions. He combines this aspect of his Sword Magic with Arc of Reality to confine his opponents in an illusory realm and subsequently destroy their resolve entirely. *'Preta's Sword' (餓鬼剣, Gakiken): The embodiment of the concept of in bladed form... *'Animal's Sword' (獣剣, Jūken): The embodiment of the concept of in bladed form. Water is an element that also possesses three different states and seamlessly adapts to different ones based on the temperature. Animals are the same; they adapt to their environment. This particular rendition of the Seven-Branched Sword performs the exact same function. The moment Nolan induces the spell, the blade itself dissociates and forms a light blue whip-like structure that, while being certainly quite flimsy, is extremely practical because of its cutting power. It possesses the same physical sharpness and durability as the sword's base form while rapidly enhancing its maneuverability, enabling Nolan to casually fight off even the greatest of swordsman with simple flicks of his wrist. *'Hell's Sword' (業剣, Gōken): The embodiment of the concept of in bladed form... .]] Water Magic (水系各種魔法, Mizu Kei Kakushu Mahō): This form of magic is one that provides the caster with the capability to form and manipulate quantities of water at any given period of time through the exertion of one's magical energy. These quantities of water, due to being ingrained with Nolan's magical energy, cannot be manipulated by any other magician. While it appears that Nolan's use of this magic is unorthodox given his mentor's specializations, it is later stated by Nolan that he had acquired this magic on his own terms due to always having a desire to defeat his mentor in battle. As a result, Nolan's prowess within Water Magic is perhaps one of his greatest assets within any situation. In particular, Nolan appears to be fully capable of summoning large quantities of water with but a glance, overwhelming his opponents with the sheer volume of liquid used against them. As an extension of this skill, Nolan also is able to manipulate vast bodies of water — such as an entire lake — to catalyze his various spells, named or unnamed. Despite being able to manipulate large quantities to his advantage, Nolan's signature skill lies in the intricacy of his manipulation. He can telepathically manipulate bodies of water and shift its purpose by altering its shape and density to accommodate for virtually any known situation, and can do so at rapid speed.Climbing the Mountain Due to this, and Nolan's remarkable scientific knowledge, he can turn almost any situation to his advantage. It should be noted that freezing or evaporating Nolan's water does little to hinder Nolan due to the man using the full force of his magical energy to manipulate the said water, making only the strongest of Slayers capable of consuming the said magic as well. Given Nolan's reluctance to master another form of Magic, he has specifically trained with Water Magic to be able to accommodate for virtually any combat situation. This particularly ties in with Nolan's great control over his own magical energy. Because the radius and power of Nolan's Water Magic ties in directly to the amount of effort he places into its conjuration and manipulation, he can battle at virtually any scale with solely his mastery. His skills extend to the point where he can adjust the frequency of his Water Magic's fluctuation through solely small hand movements, managing to increase the pressure within the water to the degree where it can cause scalding burns with ease, even prompting Sirius, despite being in his armor, to evade a small beam.Locked Blades, Locked Resolve Likewise, he also can effortlessly dispel magical abilities that have an inherent elemental advantage, such as Hogotsu Sezoku's Lightning Magic, with nothing more than the high pressure he applies to his water, a true testament to his skills.Climbing the Mountain in use.]] *'Locking Waves' (施錠波浪, Sejō Harō): Nolan, employing the density and viscosity of water to his advantage, sends out an omnidirectional wave of water from any possible medium, including his own body or sword. This wave of water spreads the water's density across a large surface, and anything coming into contact with its viscous surface is immediately slowed down considerably. Due to Nolan's advanced capabilities within Water Magic, Nolan is capable of using this spell to slow down a wide variety of attacks from numerous directions at a distance that comes close to five hundred meters. However, Nolan appears to use this in a much more practical manner. By employing the spell in a small radius that forces an opponent to move in a certain direction to evade it, Nolan can create openings which he can then exploit to defeat his enemies in a single, well-timed stroke. .]] *'Wind and Waves' (波風, Namikaze): This particular spell employs the concept Nolan epitomizes while making use of water magic: complete domination through his magical power. However, he does so through the conjuration phase, thereby allowing him to latch water off of any source, including the air and plants. While, obviously, this causes the said substance to have less substance, it also enables him to effortlessly fight in areas where it is determined, by others, that he has no advantage. In addition, it works as a very powerful surprise tactic, overwhelming his enemies with sharp blades of water that can quickly cause debilitating injuries. *'Aqua Ring' (水輪, Suirin; Literally meaning "Water Ring")Locked Blades, Locked ResolveClimbing the Mountain: The Aqua Ring is one of Nolan's signature spells, despite having only been named recently. The spell is the conjuration of magical water which subsequently surrounds Nolan's being in a ring-like formation, constantly spiraling around him. He can increase or decrease the number of rings on a whim. He normally employs approximately three rings at a time. The rings enable him to quickly forge other constructs out of water within a radius appropriate enough for him to counter virtually every assault against him. At the same time, he is capable of simultaneously using the water within the rings to send out blistering offensive attacks in the form of water whips or bullets, allowing him to use minimal effort for maximum results in any battle involving his Water Magic. Requip (換装, Kansō): A rather basic magic that is considered more of a convenience than anything else. Given Nolan's vast repertoire of rather advanced magic, one would assume that Nolan doesn't dabble in this sort of magic. However, this is far from the truth. Due to Harry's insistence for Nolan to always be grounded in his teachings, he was provided with three simple magic to counterbalance the advanced magic he had learned over the course of his lifetime: Requip, and Pulse Magic. Nolan's use of Requip is simple, but very effective. Due to only carrying one weapon, the transition from it to the real world is instantaneous as a result of it being in extremely close proximity to the dimensional opening that Nolan pulls out his weapon from. As such, he can activate it on a whim, causing his weapon to appear and disappear without a trace in a matter of an instant, making combat against him rather difficult for most opponents. Transformation (変身魔法, Henshin Mahō): A basic form of magic that allows one to morph their outward physiology in order to disguise themselves. It has several stages of mastery, each of which holding a particular skill. Nolan's skill has advanced to the stage where he can quite quickly change his physical appearance, clothing and voice with very little effort. Based on an encounter he had as a young man with a certain woman, he transforms into a woman known as Ilyana whenever he desires to manipulate more lustful targets to achieve his objectives. Trivia Quotes *(To Harry Houdini) "Freeing the soul!" (魂お放つ！, Tamashī o Hanatsu!) *(Remembering Harry's teachings) "The power to protect my comrades...it isn't enough. To protect my comrades, I can simply kill my enemies. That isn't enough. To truthfully live out my heart's desires, I must become strong enough to protect my comrades...while ensuring that my opponents do not die! As such, I must ascend to the level of history's strongest!" *(To Marx Frost) "The thing is, Marx...when it comes to those around me, my heart is pulled towards their safety. No matter how much my mind says it's tactically inappropriate, I will do so regardless. Because...I can't see anyone else going through the pain I've been through. Fighting stylishly might be fun...but it can end up with your injuries too, you know?" *(To Kenneth) "Fighting while regarding for honor and pride is...worthless. To willingly injure yourself in order to go out with a bang is the mindset for the young and naive. You have a lot to lose, young man. Don't waste your life on something as trivial as style, when exploding as brightly as a firework will only end up with you becoming no more than a blurred memory." *(To Elsa) "To see a little girl like you hold that gun with those eyes...it pains me so much. Put it down...I do not desire to hurt you. Do you want freedom from this place? Run. Run far away. Someone like you...deserves a good life. To be haunted by these memories...I can't allow this anymore. Come with me, young one...and do tell me your name?" *(To Sirius and Hisui E. Fiore) "Hahahaha, perfect, perfect! While I didn't expect such a sudden turn of events...things have certainly played out perfectly. If we shall begin with a contest of swordsmanship, then...Let's celebrate this festive occasion with a collision of our roaring spirits through our blades!" Locked Blades, Locked Resolve Creation and Conception The creation of Nolan was inspired, quite simply, by the prospect of creating Harry Houdini's successor. Knowing full well that the man would not be easily defeated by any opponent, the author decided to create a student of the man; the bond between the two reflecting those akin to Naruto Uzumaki and Jiraiya from the recently concluded manga and anime series, . In addition, the author wished to create a powerful character without the obvious flaws that several of those types of characters had: evil intentions or extreme arrogance. As such, Nolan's background conflicted with Harry's, forcing the opposing dynamics between the two to create a character who is much more active about bringing a change, rather than stifle with inactivity as the appear to do in canon. In terms of the magic choice Nolan has, in particular focusing upon Arc of Reality, Repel and Water Magic, the concept was simple: magic to juxtapose Harry. While Harry's magic was grounded within reality but focused on appearances and showy effects, Nolan's is remarkably different. Both Arc of Reality and Repel are noted to be extremely practical forms of magic, having little to no extravagance in the way Nolan employs them. Furthermore, Nolan's desire for victory against Harry lead him to pursue Water Magic, the manner in which he employs it also differing from Harry's style of Fire Magic. Overall, Nolan is a man who is destined to surpass Harry, both as a result of his great power and growth over the course of his life, but also the course of the writer's growth, as both a person and writer ever since he constructed Harry. References Category:Male Category:S-Class Mage Category:Independent Mage Category:Houdini Family Category:Caster Mage Category:Holder Mage